Your Computer Is Freezing Because of This: Click Here to Find Out What It Is and How to Fix It
In the age of digital communication and entertainment, there’s nothing more frustrating than an unresponsive PC. Whether you have a brand-new machine or you’re working on an older PC, countless problems can render your computer nonfunctional. These issues can include memory-hogging apps, insufficient storage, overheating, faulty drivers, malware, and more.
Identifying the Root Cause
While pinpointing the exact cause of the problem can be challenging, there are steps you can take to revive your computer and get your work done. However, before we delve into solutions, it’s important to ensure that the issue affects the entire system, not just a specific app or input device.
Check the Functionality of Input Devices
If your PC is acting up, it may indicate that something is wrong with your system. To verify that your input devices are functioning properly, disconnect all external peripherals and check. On the other hand, if your system freezes only when you attempt to launch a specific program, closing it could provide a temporary solution.
Dealing with Frequent Freezing
If your computer freezes repeatedly, regardless of your ongoing tasks or the devices you’re using, try one or more of these troubleshooting methods.
Too Many Background Apps and Insufficient Storage
One of the most common issues causing PC freezing is insufficient RAM. RAM, or Random Access Memory, is your computer’s short-term memory and assists in running apps. Each app has its computational requirements, and when RAM is exhausted by accommodating more apps, your computer slows down or freezes. Clearing background apps and freeing up RAM can alleviate this issue.
Problematic Drivers
Drivers facilitate communication between your hardware and the operating system. They’re crucial for apps reliant on connected devices such as keyboards, mice, monitors, Wi-Fi modems, cameras, and more. However, outdated or corrupted drivers can lead to system freezes.
Checking and Updating Drivers
- Right-click on the desktop icon of your PC and choose “Manage” from the dropdown menu.
- Select “Device Manager” under System Tools. You can also search for “Device Manager” in the Start Menu.
- Check for devices showing a red cross or a yellow exclamation mark.
- Right-click on the device and click “Search automatically for updated driver software.”
- Choose “Update Driver” at the end.
If this method doesn’t work, attempt manually uninstalling the problematic driver:
- Go to Device Manager.
- Right-click on the driver.
- Select “Uninstall.”
- When you restart your PC, Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver, potentially resolving the issue.
Consider Windows Updates
Using outdated versions of Windows can also lead to system slowdowns and erratic behavior. To address this, navigate to Windows Update and install any available updates.
Excessive Heat Generation
Several components in your PC or laptop are sensitive to heat, such as storage drives, processors, and GPUs. Desktop PCs and laptops come with cooling fans that enhance ventilation and regulate overall temperature.
However, if inadequate ventilation due to blocked air vents or hardware malfunctions hampers the fan’s effectiveness, your system’s performance can suffer. If you notice that your PC becomes warm to the touch when it freezes, or if you hear the fan producing unusually loud noises, chances are your PC is overheating.
To address this issue on a desktop:
- Shut down your PC, unplug it from the power source, and remove the side panel.
- Clean accumulated dust, dirt, and debris from the fan blades and air grills.
- Use a soft brush to clean the motherboard, storage drives, and internal cooling fans.
- If you have compressed air, that can also be useful for this purpose.
For laptops experiencing overheating:
- Turn off your laptop and, if possible, remove the bottom panel.
- Clean out any dust and debris from the cooling fans and vents.
- Alternatively, use compressed air to blow out dust from the vents.
If you’re unable to hear the fans spinning or feel air circulation, and your computer is generating excessive heat, consider taking your machine to a service center for hardware diagnostics and repair.
